The archive was organized in November 1872 by the initiative of N.E. Brandenburg, chief of the Museum. Then the “archive of old files”, documents from the Artillery Department and Chancellery for Main Artillery and Fortification were handed from the Main Artillery Administration. In the 1890’s, the archive was replenished with the collection of plans, as well as business documents from the Main Artillery Administration dated the 19^th century. The last receipt of documents from the Main Artillery Administration (after the Administration’s move to Moscow) took place in 1925. In 1937, the archive received the stock from the Military-Historical Museum of Every-Day Life which contained collections of documents from the Quartermaster and regimental museums, and the Museum of Military Educational Institutions. Since the 1950-1980’s, the archive holds documents from the institutions subordinated to the Main Missile-Artillery Administration of the Soviet time.   Now the archival stock is increased due to the collecting work.

 

The archive consists of 130 stocks which include 217,261 files. The earliest documents are dated 1628. The archive contains documents on artillery subjects, city building, geographical discoveries, medicine, and history of diplomacy. Archival files include letters, notebooks, diaries, autographs of statesmen, scientists, military commanders, designers, artists, and architects.

 

Total area of depositories – 1,132 square meters.